PROJECT SUMMARY ? CORE C The Cell Culture and iPS Core (CCiC) of this program (P01) project is unique at the University of Pennsylvania and amongst other institutions that are part of the P01. The CCiC will serve the P01 investigators and their laboratory personnel through interrelated Specific Aims to meet their strong and compelling needs related to murine and human esophageal primary cell cultures, establishing esophageal cell lines (normal, premalignant and cancer cells, normal fibroblasts and cancer-associated fibroblasts), esophageal 3D culture systems (organotypic 3D culture and 3D organoids), manipulating gene expression in cell lines (inducible retroviral/lentiviral vectors, the PiggyBac transposon system, RNA interference, and the CRISPR/Cas9 system), and preclinical drug testing for translation to personalized medicine. The CCiC provides a rich repository of esophageal and non-esophageal cell lines (2D and 3D) that are well annotated for identity, passage and free of Mycoplasma infection thereby providing quality control, rigor and reproducibility. Additionally, the CCiC generates standardized protocols and regular orientation and instruction (for all Projects), which prove to be cost-effective measures. Furthermore, the CCiC will instruct and conduct services related to induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like condition and differentiating such cells to discrete gastrointestinal cell lineages. Through its services, technologies, quality control and time/cost-effectiveness, the CCiC advances the vision and missions of this P01 project.